John (Jean) Baptiste
Balza,
Anne Fischer
& Ann Fuhrman
John (Jean) Baptiste BALZA was born on January 24th, 1868 in Sart-Walhain, Brabant, Belgium. John was the first child born to Antoine BALZA and Marie Antoinette FLAHAUT. According to Alice Lindstrom (see memories) John was conceived out of wedlock as Antoine had to go into the service in Belgium, and didn't know the Marie Antoinette was pregnant until he came home (which is backed up by their marriage date: 28 August 1867 and his birth date: 24 January 1868).
In August of 1880, Antoine and Antoinette together with five of their children (all except Julienne) emigrated to the United States. They boarded a ship of the Red Star Line, the "Belgenland" (Passenger List) in Antwerp, Belgium traveling as steerage passengers, and arrived in New York on August 26th, 1880. The passenger list of the Belgenland lists the family as follows: Antoine Balza, age 35, farmer from Belgium; Antoinette Flahaut, age 35, wife; J.Bte. (Jean Baptiste), age 11; (Anne) Marie, age 9; Adele (Odile), age 5; Virginia (Virginie), age 3; Theophile, age 2; also listed with the family is Victor Boro (Bero), age 40, Laborer. This is probably an uncle (brother of Antoine's mother). From New York, they traveled to Green Bay from where they proceeded to establish a residence in the town of Duval, Door County, Wisconsin.
Anna FISHER was born in 1868 in Germany, parents unknown at this time.
John Baptiste Balza & Anna Fisher Wedding
John Baptiste and Anna Fisher were married sometime before 1893 when their first child was born. Al together they had ten children as follows:
- Florence M. born May 14th, 1893, in Appleton, Outagamie county, Wisconsin. married Edward WEISNER and raised two children.
- Chester H. born July 17th, 1896, in Appleton, married Anna M. DERNBACH and had 1 child. They later adopted one of his sister Gladys's children.
- Gertrude (Ruth?)
- Earl, born February 16th, 1898, in Appleton, married Myrtle PFOTENHAUER and had one child.
- Edward
- Clarence born September 1st, 1900, in Appleton, married Amanda PANHKE.
- Cecelia, born August 23rd, 1904, in Appleton, married Isadore VANDERMUSS adopted two of Gladys's children.
- Genevieve, born June 29th, 1909 in Luxemburg, Kewaunee county, WI, married Harvey VANDERHEYDEN and had three children and later adopted one of Gladys's.
- Margaret J., Born November 29th, 1910 in Luxemburg, married Everett WARD and raised two children.
- Gladys, born January 15th, 1913 in Luxemburg, married Earl KING and had four children.
John Balza was a cigar maker by trade. His brand name was "Balza's Owlets" as shown on the cigar box illustration below.
John applied to become a citizen of the United States on May 31st, 1913 (Declaration of Intent) and his petition for citizenship was formalized on August 10th, 1916 (Petition for Naturalization). After his first wife Anna Fisher passed away in 1940, John remarried this time to Ann FUHRMAN. Both John Baptiste and Ann Fuhrman died in 1964.
Memories: Alice Lindstrom, excerpt
from the "History of
Luxemburg"
BALZA Ancestry 
The surname BALZA is a derivation (Belzer, Balzac, Balzer,
etc.) of the ancient name "BALTHAZAR" (one of the
three wise men). The country of origin for this Balza
family is Belgium more specifically Sart-Walhain in Namur
Province where we've traced our earliest known ancestors.
At this time the earliest known family group with the Balza
surname is Jean Joseph BALZA
who married Marie Therese
BRABANT. Very little is known about this family - it is
still a subject for on-going research (Jean Joseph Balza Sr.
Family History). They had at least one son Jean Joseph Balza (1804 -
1889) who married Virginie BERO
(1807 - 1872) and they where blessed with eight children (Jean Joseph Balza Family
History). The youngest of these was Antoine BALZA (1845 - 1927)
who married Marie Antoinette
FLAHAUT (1845 - 1927). Antoine and Marie had 10
children (Antoine Balza
Family History) the eldest was John (Jean) Baptiste BALZA who
first married Anna Fisher and later Ann Fuhrman. These
families are described above.
FLAHAUT Ancestry
The FLAHAUT surname originates in Sart-Walhain, Namur
Province, Belgium. Our earliest known Flahaut ancestor is Pierre Joseph FLAHAUT (1804 -
unknown) who married Julienne
ADAM (about 1803 - unknown). This couple had 6
children (Pierre
Joseph Flahaut Family History) the youngest of which was Marie Antoinette FLAHAUT (1845
- 1927). Marie married Antoine
BALZA (1845 - 1927) they had 10 children the eldest of which
was John (Jean) Baptiste BALZA described above.
FISCHER Ancestry
The Fischer line is a subject for future research.
FUHRMAN Ancestry
The Fuhrman line is a subject for future research.
Last updated: September 9th, 1999
Copyright 1999, Richard M. Balza
To make corrections or obtain more information contact: Richard M. Balza